Author: Sarah Sattler

I have heard wonderful things about Frankfort, Michigan from so many people but I’ve never been until now! Friends of mine recently had a wedding in Frankfort so we spent a long weekend exploring.

The couple getting married highly recommended the Harbor Lights Resort so that’s where we stayed. The resort is beautiful and offers several different types of rooms, suites or condos. We chose one of the luxury suites. My little one has never been away for a long weekend so we thought having a full kitchen and bedroom that was separate from the living area would be helpful. It really made things easier.

Harbor Lights is right on the beach! Our suite didn’t have a view of the water but it was just a short walk. We walked over to the beach first thing after we got settled into our room.

My little one had so much fun putting her toes in the water, drawing in the sand and trying to toss little shells back into the water. If only we made this trip during the summer time! The resort has an indoor pool so she did enjoy swimming a bit. The water in the pool was a little cold, so after about twenty minutes she was shivering and ready to get out.

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The Resort is just a short walk from all of the restaurants and shops on Main St. We didn’t have much time to check them all out. We did have dinner at Stormcloud Brewing Company the first night and I snuck out for coffee at Bella’s Cafe one morning.

On Saturday, we went on a hike with our group at Empire Bluff Trail. I made a separate post about that hike. The trail was about 35 minutes from Harbor Lights. After the hike, we all went to St. Ambrose Cellars for lunch. I loved that they had a bunch of picnic tables set up outside. A waitress takes your drink orders but when you’re ready to order food they have a food truck onsite and you order through them yourself. The food and drinks were great. Added bonus, they are kid and dog friendly : )

The majority of our group was staying at the houses on Lake Bluff Preserve, which is also where the wedding was held. We spent a lot of our weekend there. It’s gorgeous! And the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

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This long weekend went by so fast! We had such a great time and I would really like to go back sometime to see more of Frankfort.

Empire Bluff Trail is a gorgeous hike! It is a 1.5 mile (round trip) trail that leads to a high bluff with boardwalks and an observation deck overlooking Lake Michigan.

This is a moderate hike with a few hills. My little one really enjoyed the trail but I wouldn’t recommend taking a stroller.

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Point Betsie Lighthouse is located on the beautiful Lake Michigan Shoreline and is just north of Frankfort, MI.

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The original 1858 lighthouse, keeper’s residence, fog signal building, and Boathouse Museum are open to the public. Tours of the lighthouse take 1/2 hour and cost $5 for adults and $2 for children.

I didn’t make it during open hours so I took a little stroll down the beach and enjoyed the view. It is a gorgeous spot to take pictures!

Hours of Operation

• Monday, Thursday-Saturday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Sunday 12:00-5:00 PM
• Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Closed for the Season October 18, 2021-May 13, 2022

We went on our first family vacation this summer! We spent a night at the Cannaley Treehouse Village and this place did not disappoint! It was the perfect little getaway for us.

The village has a 4-person, a 6-person, and two, 2-person treehouses. It also has three tent or hammock platforms for camping in the trees. There is also a common treehouse, a common fireplace, and restrooms.

Each treehouse has an electric grill on the balcony and a small kitchen area inside. The kitchens have a Keurig, microwave, and under the counter fridge. There is also a sink with about 5 gallons of water. The treehouses have electricity with heat and air conditioning. The larger treehouses have composting toilets in them. Keep in mind, visitors supply their own bedding.

The treehouses all have their own theme. We stayed in the treehouse called the Nest. It was one of the smaller two-person houses. It has a curly tube slide, which was great for our toddler. She spent hours going down the slide. Inside there was a loft area that was perfect for snuggling up at the end of the day to watch a movie.

I was really impressed with the Nest! It was much larger than I imagined. The Nest has a full size bed, a loft, a small sitting area with a table and two chairs, and a screened in porch with seating. It also had a porch that wrapped around the majority of the treehouse.

The village was very quiet while we were there! The houses are spaced out nicely. There is a community fire pit and they supply the firewood. We did not bring anything to light the fire with so we waited to see if someone else would. No one went out to light the fire until after dark but we were already settled with our little one inside so we decided not to take her back out.

At about 3:00am I woke up to thunder and lightning. It stormed pretty bad for a few hours. I didn’t sleep at all until it settled down, I could hear every noise and fee every movement. I was so thankful my little one slept through the whole thing! I stayed in bed questioning whether or not it is safe to stay in a treehouse during a storm. They say not to stand under a tree during lightning, but what if the house is in the tree? I read that during severe weather we should shelter in the bathrooms, but I questioned what was considered severe. The storm passed and we all survived. The houses are very sturdy.

We woke up the next morning, had our breakfast and slowly packed up our things. Of course, we all went down the slide another dozen times before we left to go home.

The treehouse village books up quick! After searching and searching for available dates I found it was easier to email them to ask what days they still had available for the summer. So if you’re interested, keep in mind that they book a year out.

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I used to think of DeBuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch just as a place to visit in the fall. A couple of years ago I brought my daughter to the sunflower festival. It was such a fun event, with wagon rides, activities for kids, a petting farm, cider and donuts, and the chance to pick sunflowers. We had such a good time.

I was amazed by how big the sunflower field was. They had several props set up throughout the field for photo opportunities. I was just getting into photography, so I had a lot of fun taking photos of my daughter.

While we were on the wagon ride to the sunflower field, I overheard they were preparing a lavender field for the following season. We didn’t make it back in 2020, but we made up for it this year.

My daughter and I share a birthday, so I thought picking flowers would be something fun for us to do together on our day.

You have to make a reservation online and purchase the flowers separately at the farm. When you first arrive, someone checks you in and directs you to the fields. You can visit without purchasing flowers. It’s a great place to wander and take in the beauty or to take photos.

They have a huge variety of sunflowers, I never knew there were so many different kinds. They also have zinnias, lavender and we found a few pumpkins or gourd plants throughout.

If you choose to pick flowers, they supply you with the shears and a container for the flowers. You can choose to have a small bag or bucket of sunflowers and there is a small tube to put the lavender in. They also supply water to put the sunflowers in and twine to wrap the lavender.

🌻 Admission tickets are $9 per person (everyone over 23 months old)
🌻 Tickets are purchased online and flowers are purchased in the field
🌻 $7 for a bag of sunflowers and $25 for a bucket
🌻 $10 per lavender bundle
🌻 They supply the shears
🌻 2 hour time slot
🌻 Don’t forget your camera! A lot of photo opportunities

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I was so excited to find out Matthaei Botanical Gardens reopened this summer! The trails have always been open but the conservatory and gardens are open by reservation only.

We made our reservation online and when we arrived someone checked us in at a table set up right outside. They do ask a few screening questions for COVID-19 and require face masks while indoors for everyone ages 2 and up.

It wasn’t crowded and because they were screening people as they come in, each group was pretty spaced out.

We haven’t been to the gardens since early 2020, before things started shutting down for the pandemic. I was a little surprised when Emilia grabbed my hand and lead me right to the fish. She loves to see the koi fish, I was shocked she remembered.

The conservatory displays plants from three different major climates zones from around the world. Each has its own house; tropical house, temperate house and arid house.

When you exit the conservatory, there are several different gardens to explore. We spent most of our time in the Gaffield Children’s Garden.

The children’s garden has a lot of great outdoor activities for kids. Emilia really enjoyed playing in the sand with the beach toys.

“Here, children can build with natural materials in the builder’s garden, wend their way through a maze, discover magical creatures in a fairy and troll knoll, or just get their hands dirty in a digging pit or playing in the mud garden. The garden also features a pollinator and hummingbird garden, a habitats hiking trail, and more.”

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Here’s just a few things to know before you visit:

• Reservations are required through their website: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050f4aadad22a2fd0-matthaei1
• Masks must be worn inside
• The conservatory and display gardens are open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
• The outdoor areas at Matthaei and Nichols Arboretum are open daily sunrise to sunset
• Parking at Matthaei is now enforced (parking kiosk)

Address: 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105

We made a quick trip to Rowe’s Produce this morning to pick some strawberries & get some of their strawberry shortcake mix to try!

We have some strawberry plants at home but Emilia likes to pick them as soon as she finds a red one 😆

Today, I thought I’d let her pick all the berries until she lost interest. We didn’t need too many, so I carried her box, pointed out some good ones and took some pictures. She works fast & she loses interest fast 😂

I love that Rowe’s posts updates on Facebook to let everyone know how the strawberries are each day and whether or not they will be open. You can also get on their list to receive email updates.

They also have sugar snap peas and English shelling peas!

*They suggest that if you plan to meet other people there, you should really try to meet with them off the farm and drive in together. If you drive in separately there is a chance you will be directed to park at a different field, making it very difficult to find each other. They do not allow you to drive around looking for your friends or family.

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We made a special trip last week to pick up some local honey at the Living and Learning Enrichment Center. They offer farm fresh chicken and duck eggs and honey!

While we were there, we had the chance to meet the chickens and the new alpacas, George & Stella. How adorable are they?!

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My daughter LOVED the chickens. They are free-range, cared for by the clients of the LLEC, and so friendly. It was really cute to watch all of the chickens run toward us as we approached their coop. Farmer Mary introduced us to some of the chickens and picked one up so we could pet her.

We also heard they were preparing a special place for bunnies. Since our last visit, the bunnies have arrived!

I first learned about the center from a request on Instagram. Someone reached out and invited us to come visit, so I began looking at their website to find out more information about the center.

From looking at the website, I couldn’t tell if they were open to the community but I did see that they were selling local honey and fresh eggs that Friday.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a group of people on the porch and the friendliest dog, named Ruby. We purchased the honey and asked if it would be ok if we went to visit the alpaca. They directed us where to go to find them and that we could also visit the chickens! As Emilia and I went to put the honey in the car, we had the chance to speak to another staff member who told us a little about their vision for the center.

They would really like to see LLEC become a community space. They have several acres of property and would like to have a pathway for people to walk on when they visit. They have a lavender field and it’s possible they will be offering u-pick in the fall. In the future, they might even have a doggie day care on the property!

The Living and Learning Enrichment Center is incredible. The center provides amazing programs and opportunities for those with autism. The property is beautiful and everyone we met was so kind. I look forward to our next visit.

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I finally went to Nichols Arboretum! The peonies made me do it. I didn’t want to miss out on seeing the peony garden while they were in bloom. The bloom time is pretty much over but I made it just in time, there were still some beautiful flowers left.

We didn’t make it too far past the garden today. My little one had a couple melt downs while walking through the garden. She didn’t want to go home but she wanted to be held. So we found a quiet bench in the shade and just snuggled for awhile (I’ll never turn down snuggles).

When she was ready, she got up and started wandering the trail 🤷🏻‍♀️ She made her way back through the garden and allowed me to snap a few pictures of the flowers along the way.

Next time I’ll make sure to wear better walking shoes 🤦‍♀️ I’d love to check out the trails sometime soon.

Not knowing where to park is what kept me from visiting until now! Ugh, I know it seems silly but I get really anxious when it comes to visiting new places or trying new things. One thing that helps me is to do a little research before I go, so I know what to expect.

Here is some information that I found helpful from their website:

🌸 The entrance nearest the peony garden is:

James D. Reader, Jr.
Urban Environmental Education Center at the Burnham House
1610 Washington Hts.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

🌸 Visitors may park in the University of Michigan blue lot M28 on Washington Hts. for free after 5 pm weekdays and on weekends
🌸 Metered street parking is available at Nichols Arboretum on Washington Hts. and on Observatory St. Parking charges apply Mon-Sat 8 am-6 pm; free Sundays and holidays
🌸 Open 7 days a week; sunrise to sunset
🌸 Free admission

Peak bloom time in the peony garden is usually from late May to about mid-June. There are 800 peonies and over 10,000 flowers at peak-bloom! Next year, I’ll be sure to visit sooner.

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Cranbrook House & Gardens is one of my favorite places to wander with my little one, no matter what season. I loved seeing all of the blooms in spring and summer, but I was surprised by the amazing snow covered views in the winter.

There are over 20 beautiful gardens on 40 acres surrounding the house. My favorite is the Japanese Garden, with the gorgeous red bridge!

I have not had a chance to tour the house yet, but it will be on my list of things to do when it reopens ☺️

✨ Free admission to the gardens
✨ The house remains closed at this time but be sure to check for updates on their website!

https://housegardens.cranbrook.edu/

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